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Intraoperative Detection of Subtle Endometriosis: A Novel Paradigm for Detection and Treatment of Pelvic Pain Associated with the Loss of Peritoneal Integrity

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Published on: December 21, 2012

Urinary symptoms after a routine pelvic exam.

Jeffrey D Tiemstra¹, Emily Pela

¹Family Medicine Center, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60607, USA. jtiemstr@uic.edu

Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM

|May 10, 2011

Summary

Routine pelvic exams may increase the risk of urinary symptoms like dysuria (painful urination) and urinary frequency in sexually active women. These symptoms were more common in the four weeks following the examination.

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Area of Science:

Women's Health
Urology
Family Medicine

Background:

Urinary symptoms such as dysuria and frequency can impact quality of life.
The potential link between routine gynecological procedures and subsequent urinary symptoms requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the incidence of urinary symptoms in women following a routine pelvic examination.
To compare symptom occurrence between women undergoing a pelvic exam and a control group.

Main Methods:

A prospective, observational cohort study was conducted over 4 weeks.
Participants included sexually active women aged 18-40 undergoing a routine pelvic exam versus controls not having one.
Dysuria and urinary frequency were the primary outcome measures, analyzed using chi-squared and t-tests.

Main Results:

Women who had a pelvic examination reported significantly more days with dysuria (17% vs 7%) and urinary frequency (27% vs 14%) compared to controls.
The incidence of both dysuria and frequency (13% vs 3%) and either symptom (32% vs 17%) was higher in the examination group.
This group also reported less frequent intercourse and lower condom usage.

Conclusions:

Routine pelvic examinations are associated with an increased prevalence of dysuria and urinary frequency in sexually active women.
Healthcare providers should be aware of this association when counseling patients post-examination.
Further research could explore the mechanisms behind this observed association.